Try to pace yourself, and start by purchasing comic books in just one or two series at a time. Start at the top, or head, and wipe away from the spine. In addition to our extensive array of coin books and coin collecting supplies, wizard coin supply can also fulfill your need for stamp collecting books. Keep the book firmly closed and use your soft cloth or toothbrush to gently brush the edges of the pages. So i want to use it as a testing comic for cleaning up a comic. Slide your comic book into the mylar sleeve with the front cover of the comic book facing out. Having clean hands and a clean area to use the comic book. Whether obsessed with everything wonder woman for years or inspired more recently by movies to start collecting iron man, our tips from comicstore owners will help you preserve your assets. This 156 page field guide and training manual is a musthave for any comic book collector. If you decide you want to start collecting merchandise too, then you may have to add more money to your budget. It was the comic book that started me on my path to collecting, he says. Comic book collecting is not the same as comic book reading.
How to store a comic book collection like a superhero. If you want to know how to press comic books, make sure to start. The process of collecting comic books is one of keeping up their condition. Our how to start a comic book collection guide will help you take your first steps in this most enjoyable, and potentially rewarding of hobbies what to collect. Collecting comic books wont make you rich, nor will it make you respectable. You can even get a comic book box with awesome graphics, including some of your favorite licensed characters. There are series of comic books that are published monthly or quarterly. Since that time, i have amassed a large personal collection, have started and then closed a retail store, have created an internet based store specializing in silver age comics. The ten commandments to collecting comic books youtube. For special comic books, many collectors opt for hard plastic holders. Common comic book collecting misconceptions superpages.
Our comic book restoration and pressing services can take your most important and valuable comic investments to the next level. Every collector should at least know how to clean a book. In a general sense, pressing has been around since the beginning of comic book collecting. But with such a passionate following, it may be intimidating to start collecting comic books from scratch, especially if you arent very familiar with comic books to begin with. Be careful, though, as the more whistles you add to your auction, the more it costs. If you truly dont love the artwork and literature that goes behind each one of the issues that were made, dont start collecting. Start small with some cheap dollar bin comic books or reader copies.
Dry cleaning is a process used to remove dirt and pencil marks from both the interior and cover a comic book, particularly in the white areas of the comic. When you read comic books, you soar into the sky with your favorite comic book hero and fight outrageous battles against doc ock or lex luthor. What to collect, how to collect and where to start. Although 6 figures can be extremely rare, on occasion you may see a particular comic book valued at several hundred thousand dollars. Lets assume youre already quite into comic book art and that you know its history well enough if you dont, you can always consult our dedicated section. Covr price lets you know when theres a hot, key or rare comic in your collection. Know instantly if youve got a rare find in your collection. If its as a financial investment, thats not the worst idea in the world, but dont think itll be like the 90s when socalled collectors items came out and were snapped up by the bucketload by spe. If you are unsure on what to buy comic vine can help you decide. Collecting comics to just read is worth it, but it is an expensive habit. These are just a few tips that can help readers start their comic book collection and maintain some good habits.
Decide on a monthly budget and focus on your favorite comics, or you may find yourself running out of money and storage space long before you have the collection youre looking for. Sometimes, your local comic book store might have a sale on for some really old comics. It costs a bit more than a bag and board, but prevents the book from damage or creasing if it is dropped and keeps the pages from bending. Lcs showing customers how diamond sent them their batman 89s. Comic book storage supplies shop comic book sleeves and. There are endless amounts of comics, ranging from genre to genre and where to start can be quite overwhelming. When a character receives a new outfit as part of the redesign of the character, it is considered a valuable comic book for collectors.
Bcw has a wide range of short and long comic book storage boxes and bins. How to care for your comic books, including how to find preservation storage. Keeping them stored properly is very easy, and the earlier you start, the better, so theres no reason to overlook this aspect. Platinum 18971937, golden 193855, silver 195669, bronze 197079, and modern 1980present. Our experts share products and practices theyve used to keep their comics pristine. Shelling out thousands for a comic book isnt about reading the story. Comic book storage supplies from bcw supplies are a great option for storing your collection. Comic book dry cleaning tutorial and conservation tips. Though considerably more recent than the collecting of postage stamps or books bibliophilia, it has a major following around the world today and is partially responsible for the increased interest in comics after the temporary slump experienced during the 1980s. Care, handling, and storage of comic books collections care.
Im really bad for collecting statues or vinyl figures. It can also be propped up for display like a picture frame. Its never a better time to start pressing your own books than now. Despite the comic book show you see on tv nowadays, they will not make you famous. Crude and simple methods of pressing were employed in the beginning, with little thought given to long term effects. Every drop in condition from, say, good to fair to poor reduces. This way, youll know what comic you are collecting. It enables you to quickly build a good area of expertise, while developing a collection that will be attractive to other collectors, should you want to sell in the future. A complete series is valuable for collectors, depending on the characters or storyline and how old it is. There are collectors who focus on collecting comic books of a certain figure or of a certain writer or illustrator. Regardless of where you start out in a book, these divisions can give you the feel for a new book. Foxing is a reddish agereated stain that can be found in older comic books. This book is the collaborated effort of over 25 people and 4 writers. Here, too, there is value to the first comic book that a particular writer or illustrator wrote or painted, as well to the second and third.
These smaller subplots interconnect to form the larger idea. It brings another level of interest to comicbook collecting. The idea gave me the heebiejeebies and kim hated it even more. All you need is an account with them and youre good to go. Nomo fomo social media and comic books collecting duration. At, i sold my first comic to my next door neighbor. This gives you the control as to how and when you sell your comic book collection. The top ten tips on collecting comic books hubpages. These types of comics typically sell for more money. Rather than divulging yourself into a comic book universe or maybe many, focus on one character or a team xmen, jla only.
The best place for the individual to sell is through an auction site, such as ebay. Learn how to press and clean comic books professionally or for yourself. If you re new to collecting returning to collecting or a longterm. Lesson i learned early on was leaving a ring on my cleaning hand. I have been collecting for around 20 years, and have realized that there arent many tools out there for collectors. Some comics just need a little love and a cleaning. Ive been collecting comic books for fun and profit for about 35 years. They can be educational for children, they can be great investment opportunities and they can be pure entertainment. In fact its so serious there is such a thing as the certified guaranty company which grades comics according to their importance. Once these tools are acquired, the process of removing stains and marks from your collection can begin. After all, some comics sell for thousands or even millions of dollars. As far as i am concerned though, the highest value is what each comic book is worth personally to each owner.
The emblem of the cca is a white stamp in the upper right hand corner of comics dated after february 1955. As with any hobby, collecting comic books can be expensive. I had a book wlight noncolor breaking spine creases go from a 9. However, if your comic books arent in good condition, you could be missing out on money, according to robert scott, owner of comickaze comics books and more and head of the comic book industry alliance. Find everything from comic book sleeves and protectors to comic book boxes. Comic books have been published for more than a century, and collectors categorize them into five ages.
Stamp collecting books learn how to collect stamps. What i want to explore in this post is the dry cleaning service the comic doctor offers. I first started collecting comic books when i was 10 years old. I was interested in washing and in the table of contents refers to 1. Ccs offers a screening service to determine whether your comic book is a suitable candidate for pressing, restoration or restoration removal. Many collectors regard a comic book signed by its creator as valuable. When you collect comics, you may not only have to spend a whole lot more money than you did when you. Comic collection tips from a real comic book man wired. Log into facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know. From a time perspective, it is easier to purchase a whole series, if one finds it, than to collect each comic book in that series. How to start collecting comic books sparkle city comics. Whether youre collecting for the love of comic books, or youre collecting to hopefully sell them for a profit, you never want to see your comic books conditions diminish over time. When comic book collectors approach me regarding the services i offer, they tend to focus primarily on my pressing service. By the 80s pressing became more sophisticated, serving as part of the evolving restoration process.
Place the white side facing the comic book, because the white is treated so natural acids from cardboard wont tarnish your comic book cover. Classic collectible services ccs is the worlds leading comic book pressing. What i want to explore in this post is the dry cleaning service the comic doctor offers as well. His love of the collecting hobby drove him to form the best possible ways to preserve and.
Continue with the foreedge, or the edge opposite the spine, and the tail, or bottom of the book. One of the biggest factors in determining a comics worth is how rare it is, but there are a couple other important qualities. Covrprice the ultimate tool for comic collectors and. Did you ever want to get into comics, but did not quite know how. Being that this is about pressing and cleaning comics the pictures shown as examples and for reference are lacking quality.
When your comics start to pile up, you might feel like you need superpowers to get them organized but its easy with comic book boxes. Dry cleaning a comic to remove soiling and any unwanted substance is also considered. It has taken some time but here is the comic book dry cleaning video that. Especially, if you do not know much about them and do not have anyone that can teach you the dos and donts. Stamp collecting is one of the worlds most popular hobbies, and at our site youll find everything you need, whether youre just beginning a new hobby or youre an experienced philatelist. We offers both cgc and cbcs submission services as a convenient way of getting your books graded and encapsulated. Follow these 10 commandments and i guarantee youll have a great comic collection that youll. This worldwide system is a reliable measure of quality and ensures traders get the right price.
The comics cultural impact and the physical condition of the copy. It took 23 weeks fast pass and they were responsive to emails. Removing these defects can often raise the grade of your books and the results have been phenomenal. None of this is necessary to the comics, its just something i like. Comic book collecting is a hobby that treats comic books and related items as collectibles or artwork to be sought after and preserved.
Values of a comic book collection can range from a few dollars more than face value to 6 figures. Quickly identify comics with key character appearances. Youre familiar with its eras and their most important moments, like the golden age 1933 to 1955, the silver one 1955 to 1969, the. Starting a comic book collection concept comic vine. An expert grades the condition of the comic then seals the comic in a clear container to protect it. Not only is comic book collecting fun for enthusiasts, theres a robust market for used comic books on sites like ebay. Rarity, title, issue, and condition determine value, although often one of those variables is far more important than the others. Comic book dry cleaning is not restoration, its comic book conservation. When should a collector consider having a comic book pressed.
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